Watch Chris Stapleton’s Simple ‘The Keeper’ at Chris Cornell Tribute Concert
Chris Stapleton was in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (Jan. 16) to help honor a fellow musical great. The country star was one of dozens of artists to take part in the I am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell concert.
In honor of late rock singer-songwriter Chris Cornell, the I am the Highway concert was an all-star tribute featuring members of Cornell's former bands -- Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave -- as well as a slew of special guests. Readers can press play above to watch Stapleton's cover of "The Keeper," which he performed solo, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.
Cornell wrote "The Keeper" for the soundtrack to the movie Machine Gun Preacher, a film based on the true story of Sam Childers, a former criminal who goes to East Africa to help Sudanese children. Cornell read the movie's script and researched Childers' story to help him pen the song.
"I think the song really sticks with the idea of imagining that Sam Childers is singing it," Cornell shared at the time (quote via Loudwire). "What is he singing? It's a sort of testimonial to the kids he puts his life on the line for."
See Photos From I am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell
During Wednesday night's Cornell tribute concert, which took place at the Forum, Stapleton also performed the Temple of the Dog song "Hunger Strike" with the band, Brandi Carlile and Brendan O'Brien. The event, organized by Cornell's wife Vicky, was to benefit the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, which, according to its website, "raise[s] funds and to support charitable organizations serving children who are facing homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect worldwide."
Cornell died on May 17, 2017, following a sold-out Soundgarden concert at Detroit, Mich.’s Fox Theater. The artist was found unresponsive on his hotel room's bathroom floor, with a band around his neck, and pronounced dead at the scene. His death was ruled a suicide, but Cornell's wife said that she believes a prescription drug that Cornell was taking contributed to his death.
Country Stars Mourn Chris Cornell